The Omens of Talum-Kai

Spark Meet Flame

3 Dead 1 Revived

14

MAY/17

As Gelfin, Zaramir, Wyndolen and Lia made their way to the Frog an Hammer, there was an explosion. The tavern lit up with a blast of fire. Debris and shrapnel flew everywhere. A firey wooden beam blasted out of the building and decapitated Wyndolen who immediately dropped to the ground dead. Gelfin turned to look at Zarmir, he had collapsed to the ground. Shrapnel pierced his chest and body in multiple places and blood was quickly seeping into the dirt at his back.

Gelfin leaned down to his, well, Neither Gelfin nor Zaramir would describe themselves as "comrades" quite yet. Gelfin leaned down to the guy who had been traveling with him for a while whom he found it fiscally beneficial to travel with for the moment.

Zaramir grabbed him by the collar and yelled into his face. "Take this ring. It's Jorah's its the only thing that will prove to Japith what we say is true. Also, the omens. There are three of them. The Silver Fire, The Blind Crow, The Broken Axe." and with that Zaramir Died.

Lia and Gelfin were left to watch the tavern burn.

Some blocks away a tall axe wielding traveler heard and saw the explosion and made his way to the emergency. His name was Sakaald he had only been in this big city for a short while, but fire is an emergency no matter if you are in a backwater village or a busy metropolis.

Outside of a rowdy tavern a rather loud, chromatically and in their disposition, centaur made his way into an alley, disguising herself a little more inconspicuously. She too then made her way to the fire, either for entertainment value or some personal gain. Either suited her just fine.

Lia looked and listened but couldn't hear anything over the roar of the flames. Gelfin ran into the burning building looking for Porfiry. All he found was a fiery hell. Heat beat against his skin burning him. There were some patrons that had burned completely in the blast, very few survivor. None of whom seemed to be Porfiry. Gelfin helped those that he could escape the blaze. Lia, unsure of whether she could help moved closer to the building. she immediatley saw a man, clothes on fire, running out of the building. She managed to tackle him and put out the flames.

Sakaald arrived on the scene at this moment along with the Centaur in disguise, Atalanta. He immediately ran into the burning building, fighting off the burning heat. Atalanta called out to a passing dog and telling it to get the fire brigade.

When Sakaald made it inside he saw, towards the rear of the building, Gelfin attempting to save a Woman and child trapped behind a burning wooden beam. He ran up to Gelfin and the beam. He put himself in between the wall and the log and attempted to push it out of the way. As he did Gelfin reacted quickly and tried to stifle the flames as much as he could and save the large man from being badly burned. Sakaald, with all his effort, couldn't make the beam budge. He released the burning log and focused for a second. He redoubled his efforts knocking the beam clear and smashing the wall opposite him.

The two then reached out and hurried the mother and daughter away to safety. Sakaald ran back inside, hoping to find more survivors. Unfortunately, all he found was bones and ash. Unable to go back the way he came, Sakaald burst out the back of the building through the weakened and burned wood paneling.

Gelfin, Lia and the Atalanta heard the fire wagon before they saw it. The dog Atalanta had sent away for help lead the pack as as red haired female Eldurmann lead the city towards the fire.

Seeing more people approach Gelfin disguised himself into his elven form.

The woman jumped off the wagon and immediately deputized those around. She asked Atalanta to pump the wagon, she did so reluctantly and with little visible effort or commitment.

Lia was drafted onto the Hoses, she too would not have been described as eager to help. A 12 year old kid behind her on the lines gave her some side eye. Lia gave him a "What?" look. The little boy replied, "Look lady, if you are not gonna even try you should just let a real adult do it."

Sakaald, stuck on the other side of the building, ran down the alley to the front. He turned the corner and stood stalk still, watching as a darkhaired woman backhanded a child, grabbed ahold of the firehose, a device he had never seen before, and let out a mighty scream. This woman knocked away all other volunteers and turned the water to full blast; dampening the outside of the building and bringing the fire close to under control.

As this went on Atalanta gave up on her fake attempts to help and decided to conjure up a fog cloud to add more moisture to the building and bring the fire under control.

When all was said and done the tavern was smoldering pile of wood, but the fire was out. A greatful Eldermann, Verden, introduced herself and began thanking the group for their help. Suddenly, three shadowy monsters descended from the roof tops and began attacking.

Most of the crowd scattered, shouting about "Moon Shades" attacking. The group stood their ground, not knowing the danger they were in.

Some looked in bewilderment as Atalanta shifted from her disguised form to her Bright centaur form. She attmepted to ensnare on of the monsters in a tangle of vines but could not capture it. A crow faced shade attacked Lia slicing her. Another jumped through Gelfin and attacked him, dealing a number of heavy hits. Gelfin attempted to hurt the wolf faced creature but did not seem to do as much damage as he could. Lia attacked the shade infront of her, stabbing at it with her rapier and injuring it.

Sakaald buried his axe in the back of the crow nearly killing it. The centaur again attacked the shade in front of it, hitting it with its longbow. The shade responded by phasing through Atalanta but failed to attack her. The Monster in front of Gelfin attacked and rendered him unconcious. He spat and choked on the dirt, seeming to come around.

The crowfaced monster could not his its target and Lia dispatched it with little effort and many hidden blades. Seeing the bird destroyed, Sakaald ran to he wounded comrade and attempted to slay the beast in front of him, unfortunately his blades wen through the monster and buried themselves in Gelfin. There was little hope now for his survival.

The centaur destroyed the wolf faced shade behind her. And the last remaining shade attacked Sakaald. Lia ran towards Gelfin, hoping she could revive him, but it was too late. He had died.

She turned instead to the remaining shade and cut it to ribbons.

At this moment Verden, who had before run form the shades, ran towards the group holding a glowing white orb. As she approached she slowed. Dumbfounded she inquired with the group about how they survived the Moon Shade attack. She informed them that the only thing they found that could repel them were these white orbs. A man, Beau Montagne, has been selling them from his church, The Holy Path. He came to the city a little over a year ago and started gaining followers, these monsters started showing up about six months ago and these orbs are the only thing it seems that can ward them off.

Some of the group made some off the cuff remarks about how its a pretty logically easy step to see that this group The Holy Path are the ones making these monsters.

Verden asked why the group was in town. Lia told her that her and her dead commrade, Gelfin, had meant to meet with a Detective Porfiry to talk about Japith Kressor and the Omens. Verden soon was overcome with emotion. Detective Porfiry it seemed was her uncle and a huge mentor to her. She begged for the group to come back to the station so she could talk more and ask for their help in catching whomever is creating these monsters.

She even offered to revive Gelfin. He is taken away to the master Cleric Healers as the rest of the group meets in Verden's office. She expalins more about these monsters. it seems random people have been turning into them for no reason. Some in daylight others at night with no explanation.

The group agrees to help her in exchange for payment and room and board. They make their way the the Laughing Pig and settle in for the evening. Sakaald and Lia in beds, Atalanta in the stable.

Across town Gelfin returned to the land of the living. The clerics welcomed him, explaining that they brought him back form the brink of death and thanked him for saving so many lives in the fire.